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June 29 ‘Becks’ stands on the brink of his biggest triumphDear friends,
Today I would like to introduce you to one of the absolute mega stars of the 2006 world cup: captain of the England national team, David Beckham.
Since his debut in the national team in the 3:0 victory over Moldova during the world cup qualification rounds on 1st September 1996, it is impossible to imagine him not being part of the English line up. For almost 10 years, the ‘number seven’ has had a permanent team place in the home country of football. Only one thing has so far eluded him: big success with England at a big tournament. I believe his fifth tournament, following the two world cups
David isn’t only an exceptionally gifted midfield strategist of world class stature, he’s also a genius scorer of free kicks. Ecuador’s goalkeeper will be still be having nightmares about Saturday’s goal. His right foot is his secret weapon, with which he can beat even the most amazing of wings. Owen Hargreaves, of Bayern Munich, once told me that he hadn’t ever played with someone who could make such exact and precise passes as ‘Becks’, and still make those passes even when under huge pressure. Along with Lampard, Gerrard and Hargreaves, David makes up one of the strongest midfields in the world cup.
And away from the football pitch, ‘Becks’ continually makes the headlines in the tabloid press. David’s favourite fashion label is the luxury brand ‘Dolce & Gabbana’, he has his own fashion collection with ‘Adidas’, and he owns an aftershave brand that bears his own name. His wife, Victoria, previously singer with the ‘Spice Girls’, chose music legend Elton John to be the Godfather of their two eldest sons. And David’s number of famous friends is certainly awe-inspiring, with Robbie Williams, Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce Knowles to name but a few. June 27 The “CP” PhenomenonDear friends,
His initials “CP” could also stand for ChamPion. “CP” however stands for Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s unique dribble master at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The man who was sent off the pitch in Portugal’s match against Holland after a nasty foul will hopefully be back in action in the quarter finals.
Who is this unbelievable “CP”? The Portuguese footballer came through all the national youth squads of his country from U15 up. He made his breakthrough in the 2004 European Championships in his home country, where he scored his first international goal for Portugal in the opening game. Ronaldo II, so as not to confuse him with the Brazilian Ronaldo from Real Madrid, was also put into the All Star Team of the 2004 European Championships. Many experts describe Cristiano as a kind of mixture of his countryman, Luis Figo, and his namesake, Ronaldo.
Cristiano proved how good he really is when playing for Portugal on the road to the World Cup in Germany. In twelve qualification matches, he impressively scored seven goals. A remarkable number for the young man from Manchester United. What’s more, he wears the number 17 for Portugal because he played his first professional game for his home club Benfica Lissabon at the age of 17.
He is fast, an excellent dribbler of the ball, he can shoot with both his right and his left foot and has some unbelievable tricks in his arsenal. A normal cross pass is not enough for him – he instead plays the ball behind his other leg. That drives his manager sometimes to despair but thrills the fans.
“CP” also causes quite a sensation off the pitch. His female following attach great importance to his outward appearance. His shaggy mop of curly hair goes down great with his teenage fans. But the advertising industry has also discovered “CP”. Cristiano can be seen on oversized advertising boards, posing with a naked torso for the label “Pepe Jeans”. June 23 Sweden’s star is IbrahimovicDear friends,
Today I would like to present to you the most dangerous goal scorer in the world – The Swedish footballer currently playing at Juventus Turin, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The 1.92 m tall top striker transferred in summer 2004 from Ajax Amsterdam to Juve, and has since been feared by the defenders of the top division due to his speed, his technical ability and his smoothness.
For a long time “Ibra” or “Carlo”, as his friends call him, was considered a sloppy prodigy and an eccentric. But those days have long passed. In Italy, with much Bosnian and Croatian support, the Swede changed from individualist to team player. He has proved himself with his success in “bella Italia”, having just won the league with Juve once again.
Therefore it did not surprise me when his teammate Pavel Nedved made the following assessment of him. “He will be better than Schevchenko!” And that is indeed saying something.
Whatever passion hides in this top goal scorer, it is shown in this nice story from his youth in Sweden. When he was playing with the Balkan Youth, a team of refugees from ex-Yugoslavia, and was sat on the bank while the team trailed 0:4 at half time, he exploded. He was able to achieve the amazing feat of scoring eight (!) goals within 45 minutes. The game finished with the Balkan Youth winning 8:5.
Sweden is now our opponent in the second round. I certainly hope that Ibrahimovic will not be as effective as he was in the game he played with the Balkan Youth. June 16 Beware the Desert FoxDear Friends
Jared Francisco Borgetti Echavarria . A name like music, a name which melts on the tongue. But also a name, which puts fear and dread into opposing defenders. Not for nothing has he been named as the feared ‘Zorro del Desierto’, meaning the feared ‘Desert Fox’.
Borgetti, who since 2005 has been playing in the English Premier League with Bolton Wanderers, counts as one of the best headers in the game. It was above all through his strong appearance in the Confederations-Cup 2005 in Germany, in which was able to score three goals, that the swift and agile striker played himself into the international limelight. Even a few Bundesliga clubs took notice of him. A move to Germany fell through however – Borgetti moved from the Mexican club CF Pachuca to the motherland of the game.
In his 70 internationals, the 1.82 meter tall central striker has collected 36 goals. A very respectable haul, which will no doubt be improved upon during the World Cup 2006 in Germany. He has already proved remarkably what a threat he can be in front of goal during the World Cup qualification rounds for Mexico, as he was among the top goal scorers in the North and Middle America group.
Mexico’s playing methods have certainly worked to his advantage. The ‘Tri’, as manager La Volpe’s team are known, cultivate an attractive, even if very lavish short-pass game, and trust wholly and fully on their star striker when on the offensive.
However, whether Borgetti by himself will be enough to realize that which manager La Volpe has already achieved once before, I venture to doubt. As third goalkeeper, the Mexican team boss became a World Champion with Argentina in the 1978 World Cup. June 13 Anticipation for TrezeguetDear friends,
France, world champions in 1998, is now also getting its World Cup campaign underway. Experts are all talking about Arsenal striker Henry although I am equally excited about David Trezeguet.
“David has been playing at the highest level for years. He is unbelievably strong technically and also extremely fast. He can header the ball like no one else in the world. A player with a built-in instinct for goals.” This was how the Brazilian Ronaldo described him, he himself an absolute world-class striker.
What is the secret of (goal) success of the Frenchman from Juventus Turin? David is a classic penalty-area striker. He moves well in the opposition’s 18-yard box, on high alert to score a goal. The less space he has and the more under pressure he is, the more unstoppable and dangerous he becomes. An impressive 31 goals in 61 internationals underlines this talent.
The “air” is also familiar territory for Trezeguet. I myself have never seen a better headerer of the ball than David. His jump, his timing and his performance when challenging for a header are absolutely world class. Even against the internationally high-calibre defenders in the Italian top line-up, the Frenchman is able to successfully get his head to the ball again and again. Statistics show that in challenging for a header, he has won the ball 80 percent of the time.
The world and European champion from 1998 and 2000 is a silent contemporary. He only gives one long interview every six months, and then of course in his home country France. Apart from that, David lives a very secluded life. That also fits the description that David Beckham made of Trezeguet. “Sometimes you don’t see him at all for 90 minutes. And all of a sudden he does his thing.” The French attacker could not be described better, either in his sporting career or in his private life. June 07 My super WC teamDear Friends,
The countdown has started. It’s just a few days until the beginning of the soccer World Cup in Germany. Like many others, I’m looking forward to the lineup of the superstars and have thought about what my personal team would look like, which players I would most like to see.
My super team would play in a 4-4-2 system. Gianluigi Buffon from Italy would be in goal since he has shown extraordinary performance in the past years both in the national team as well as with his club Juventus Turin. The back four would be the Brazilian Cafu from AC Milan as well as the Italian Alessandro Nesta, his team colleague. I would place the Brazilian star Roberto Carlos from Real Madrid on the left flank. In the inner defense, in addition to Nesta, John Terry from FC Chelsea London would play.
It’s difficult enough to have to decide on the four defense players, and the selection of excellent midfield players is even larger. No question, Ronaldinho from the Champions League winner FC Barcelona is placed. In addition to the Brazilian, in my team his countryman Kaka from AC Milan as well as the Czech Pavel Nedved from Juventus Turin and the great Zinedine Zidane from Real Madrid would conjure up the team. Certainly this mixture of offense players is very risky, but I simply wouldn’t like to leave out any of these top stars.
My dream strikers would be the Frenchman Terry Henry from Arsenal London and of course the Brazilian Ronaldo from Real Madrid.
I don’t know if this team could become the world champion. But if they would play together, at least a spectacle is guaranteed. And we are all looking forward to that. June 02 Trinidad & Tobago: Success in the 11th goDear friends,
the smallest country ever to qualify for the Soccer World Cup can be seen in Germany in Dortmund, Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern. The Caribbean island state of Trinidad & Tobago, which will face England, Sweden and Paraguay in qualifying group B, has only a population of about 1.1 million. Even Berlin, host of the opening match, has three times as many...
Trinidad & Tobago founded their football association and national team in 1908 and have been a FIFA member since 1963. The country is currently 46th in the world rankings. Since 1966, the Caribbean footballers had been trying in vain to qualify for the final round of a World Cup. The eleventh go now finally proved to be successful. In the World Cup qualification of the North- and Central American and Caribbean zone, the team ensured their participation in the tournament in the relegation round against their Asian opponent Bahrain. Following their 1:1 draw in their first leg, Trinidad & Tobago won their second leg 1:0. Prime Minister Patrick Manning paused his speech in the parliament immediately after the final whistle and declared the following day an official holiday. On 17 November 2005, the whole country was in euphoria.
The success of the Caribbean state is closely connected with its internationally renowned coach. The Dutch Leo Beenhakker, who has Real Madrid, Ajax Amsterdam and Feyenood Rotterdam on his list of former employers and has twice been the coach of the Dutch national team, has been team manager since April 2005. The best-known player is without doubt Dwight Yorke, who took part in the legendary Champions League final in Barcelona alongside the likes of David Beckham, when Manchester United beat Bayern Munich 2:1.
If you would like to see the surprise team of Trinidad & Tobago, keep the following dates in mind: on 10 July they play Sweden, on 16 June England and, closing the qualification, Paraguay on 20 June. June 01 Where Brazil is number 1Dear Friends,
The World Cup fever is rising. All teams are currently preparing. Also my favorite, the incumbent world champion Brazil. I surf in the internet with my friends in order to inform myself about the form and feeling. In doing so, I have encountered some astonishing numbers.
The transfer value of Ronaldinho, who regularly writes to you at “msn” directly from the Brazilian camp, is a proud 70 million Euros. The world soccer player of the year at FC Barcelona is insured for this sum. Also the other superstars from “Selecao” like Ronaldo or Robinho have a gigantic market value. In all, the complete World Cup squad from “Selecao” adds up to a handsome sum of 380 million Euros. For each player, that’s a sum of just under 17 million. It’s crazy!
In the ranking, Brazil is followed by the national teams from England with 350 million Euros and Italy with 340 million Euros. The German national team is listed on place eight – still with the lush sum of 200 million Euros.
The kickoff is in ten days. Luckily this ranking is just a play with numbers. Otherwise we would already know today who will play in the World Cup finals on 9 July in the Berliner Olympia Stadium: Brazil versus England. But before that there are another 63 games and we are all longingly awaiting their outcome. May 17 World Cup Exclusion has upset meDear Friends
On Monday afternoon in Berlin, before making the World Cup squad public, our national manager Jurgen Klinsmann informed each player individually as to whether they will be taking part in the World Cup or not.
When Jurgen Klinsmann called me and told me that I was not to be included in the 23-man squad, my world fell apart. Previously there was no indication that I would not be there. Certainly I have retained my memory of my non-inclusion for the Italy game in March but as to omission from the squad, that is something that I had never ever reckoned with.
I am truly speechless, deeply disappointed and will now have a few sleepless nights. Again and again I have been asking myself the question: How has this come about? Why am I not to be there at this one-off event? A World Cup in your own country is something that only happens once in a lifetime.
I know myself that I have not had an outstanding season and that my ten goals are nothing to write home about. But also this year I have developed myself further, have been able to prove myself anew in the Champions League and at the beginning of Jurgen Klinsmann’s management I was scoring goals galore when donning the national jersey..
Certainly I still have the chance to be nominated later on should a World Cup player suffer an injury. But I would like to announce it loud and clear: I am not hoping for that - I would not wish in any way for a colleague to be injured
At this point, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. For your mail, for your encouraging words in bad times, but also for your constructive criticism. I hope you are crossing your fingers mightily for me in the future and for the national team in the World Cup
All the very best May 12 Marriage with VictorijaDear Friends
In the latest edition of Europe’s biggest People-Magazine ‘Bunte’, I have given a long interview. This is naturally concerned less with football than with my private life. And it slipped out that which I do not want to keep back from you any longer either: I will be marrying my Victorija.
We have been happy together since my time in Stuttgart. In fact we have been engaged for a few years now. Now it is only the actual date of the wedding that still remains our great secret. A little private space must remain, as with all love affairs.
Obviously, I will disclose a little bit more to you about our wedding. It will be a large, international wedding. Because Vicky, who presented me with our son Karlo nine months ago, is Croatian by birth who has command of seven languages altogether. German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian and of course her native language of Croat. No question about it, Vicky is not only a highly attractive young mother and the love of my life, but also a true linguistic genius.
Our son Karlo will grow up speaking several languages. Our little one should be able to master German, English and Portuguese fluently. I think that that can only be an advantage for Karlo when he is older. The more languages you have at your command, the better or easier it will be to forge ahead later on. I even hope he will be able to prove that on the football field as well, at some time in the future.
With best wishes May 09 Congratulations to my first ManagerDear Friends
Last weekend, I was condemned to spectating. Because of my fifth yellow card, my place for the game against FSV Mainz 05 was not in the team, but at home in front of the TV set. I suffered along during our 1:0 defeat. Together with my partner Viktorija and our son Karlo, we watched the game involving my colleagues, as well as the other games from the 33rd matchday. It only remains for me to congratulate FC Bayern on their 20th title win. Their 1:1 draw in Kaiserslautern was sufficient, especially as their nearest rivals, Hamburg, lost in Berlin. My special congratulations go to manager Felix Magrath, who has managed the “double double”, four titles in two years, something that no manager before him has achieved. It was Magrath after all who gave me the opportunity to become a professional footballer, when I was with him at Stuttgart. In that I have a special attachment to him.
Still one game to go – we step out on Saturday against VfB Stuttgart-and then it is the World Cup. After we have failed in our ambitions with Schalke, I think more and more on the great event of the coming summer. The anticipation is increasing, the tingling is become ever more obvious. It is not only the newspapers who are noting the countdown until the opening game against Costa Rica-I am as well. It is only just a month now…
Before the preparations start next week in Sardinia, the national manager Jurgen Klinsmann has invited us to Frankfurt this week to check up on our fitness again. It’s not only there that will I be attempting to prove why I absolutely want to be there in the World Cup from June. I wish you a good start to the week May 05 Bet won against AiltonDear Friends
At last I can report back to you with some good news. Just before the season comes to an end, I have won a bet. If you can use the word ‘bet’ in this context. When my Brazilian colleague returned to the Bundesliga after the winter break, moving from Besiktas Istanbul to Hamburg, he was bragging just a bit too much. In an interview he stated that he would overhaul me in the list of goal scorers for the second half of the season. And now, with two games to go before the end of the season, that appears not to have happened. Dear Toni, I hope you have thought of a good ‘stake’. But as to a holiday in our home country of Brazil, you’ll have to wait a bit as we intend to be occupied in the World Cup until 9th. July. Apropos the World Cup. I’ve already been seized by World Cup fever for a long time now. Again and again, I think about our first game against Costa Rica. Together with my partner Vicky, I have already run through the match plan for all our possible opponents after the initial rounds. I don’t want to be galloping ahead but things don’t seem at all as bad as predicted by our many critics. I am just thinking anyhow that our fantastic fans, in our own country, will really be pushing us forward like mad in the World Cup. And then everything is possible.
I hope you see things similarly and help us make a bit of a spurt at the end of the season and also in the World Cup All the best May 04 Negative Run Makes my Head AcheDear Friends
The sunshine during the first week in May has not raised my mood one bit. Believe me, our negative run at Schalke is responsible for this. In the League we hardly have any chance left of reaching the qualifying places for the Champions League. In the UEFA Cup, we were knocked out by FC Sevilla in the Semi-Final. The dream of reaching the final is shattered. Setbacks non-stop! And I have also been waiting far to long for the scoring touch to return.
What has caused this? How can we stop this run? Why are things not clicking any more? Questions that have been swimming through my mind again and again during this match-free weekend. You get to musing and find yourself unsatisfied with yourself and actually with everything. My mood at the moment is anything other than good. And that has all come in the month before the beginning of the World Cup.
Luckily, each day I find myself laughing along with my son Karlo. But even watching my son smiling, the thoughts still revolve around our crisis at Schalke 04. For weeks now, we have been asking ourselves what we could do about it. Yet nothing helps. We try and give it a bit more in training. Add extra layering to reclaim the security which is necessary to become successful.
Maybe we will make the necessary clearance this week. In the home game against Armina Bielefeld, the spell must finally be broken. On our team and also on me. The pressure is great. We must not complain too much because we ourselves have got ourselves into this situation. Now we must free ourselves from it – and give our fans and our downcast spirits a convincing victory.
Please cross your fingers for us
Best Wishes April 27 I pray before every gameDear Friends
Hasta la vista! A temperature of 26 degrees, glorious sunshine, great panoramas. We would like to believe that we were on holiday. But this is totally incorrect. In the wonderful sunshine of the town of Seville, the second leg of the UEFA Cup Semi-Final is imminent. Yet I would not like to overlook writing to you from Spain, using my laptop.
On the flight here I was sitting next to my good friend, Lincoln. We were able for once to shut ourselves off completely from the stress of football and spoke of our strong belief in God. As you certainly know already, we Brazilians are first and foremost very religious people.
Lincoln had said to me that for many games he even wears a white vest under the Schalke shirt bearing the name of Jesus. I also believe in God and pray often. Before going to bed, even before we go out through the players’ tunnel on match days, I pray to God.
Lincoln had earlier in Brazil, just like me, even arranged a short prayer with the entire team before kick-off. This took place so: before the game we had gathered in the center circle holding hands, forming a circle ourselves and spoken to God.
Almost all Brazilians pray to God. That’s the same for Ronaldo as much as for our friend Ronaldinho, who also writes on this site. Even the great Pele belongs to this group. I recently heard that in a talk show on Brazilian television.
I wish that God can also protect you in the future. Health, luck and all that you wish can, with God’s help, come to fruition. April 25 Off to SevilleDear Friends
There we sat on the benches in the dressing room after our 0:0 draw in Bremen and pondered over all the missed chances. Yes, we should have been given a penalty after that foul on Lincoln. But what use is thinking about it: yet again we failed to win, that’s for the sixth game in a row now, and again a missed opportunity to get ourselves back into the struggle for a Champions League place.
But even there in the dressing-room we had our minds directed forward. Forwards to Thursday, that is. This is our great chance of reaching the final of the UEFA Cup. After the 0:0 draw in our home leg, we definitely need to score at least one goal against FC Sevilla in order to qualify to travel to Eindhoven on 10th May.
On the journey back to Gelsenkirchen from Bremen we tried in vain to receive the broadcast of Seville’s game against FC Barcelona on one of the Spanish stations. So eagerly tuned in are we to our sizzler on Thursday. But a downpour in Seville meant that the match was called off. Consequently, Seville could take things easy for the time being.
A word to one of our users, Jule, who asks whether I will be at the ‘Talent 2006 Festival’ in Berlin on 10th or 11th May. I hope not. Because on the 10th May, that’s when the UEFA Cup Final kicks off in Eindhoven. And then on the 11th May, I will naturally be celebrating victory in the appropriate manner. I hope that Jule will be keeping the fingers crossed for us that this dream also comes true.
Also greetings to all other users, even to the critics. Trust me - I would also love to win every game, would love to present you with 90 minutes of magical football. But we are simply not in the position to do that. But we are struggling and fighting for the benefit of the club, for you, and for us – for we all want only one thing, and that is to celebrate victory wearing the shirt of Schalke 04.
So it’s off to Seville. Wish us all the best of luck! April 21 We dream our dreamsDear Friends
‘Kuranyi and Lincoln out’. When you read headlines like this over breakfast, that is definitely the down-side of a professional’s life. Particularly right now, during the exciting final stages of the Championship and the UEFA Cup, this doesn’t help me and my friend Lincoln to overcome our depression or get rid of the crisis of our five games without a win. But such a state of affairs does come as part of our way of life. Each of us must take these consequences, learn from our mistakes, rise above crises like this and come out of them stronger than before.
On Tuesday evening I was at a fan-forum organized by the Schalke Fan Club. Naturally, in our entertainment venue ‘Auf Schalke’, our performances were controversially discussed and criticized. But we all of us, players and fans together, dream our great dream still. We want to repeat 1997 yet again. Nine years ago, the ‘Eurofighters’ under manager Huub Stevens beat Inter Milan in the final of the UEFA Cup. Now we have the chance, as the sole remaining German club, to get into a European Final by beating FC Sevilla. For this dream, we must put all our personal interests to one side.
I have still been glad to receive all your contributions, even if a few among them have been very critical. I can assure you: I myself feel terrible when we are not playing well or I can’t reach the level that I expect of myself. We are all aware what it means to don the colors of Schalke 04. To struggle, fight, to give all for 90 minutes for the benefit of our club, Schalke 04. That’s what we have done in the past and will continue to do in the future.
I hope you are still going to be keeping your fingers crossed that we succeed in our mission against FC Sevilla and we get our act together in the Bundesliga such that the positive headlines will start appearing again April 18 Easter Bunny in Schalke ShirtDear Friends
You can well imagine that I was not exactly in the mood to party over Easter. We messed up the Easter celebrations ourselves with our 1:1 draw against 1. F.C. Kőln (Cologne). It was now our fifth game in a row without a win. For a team that wishes to play in the Champions League in the near future that is simply not good enough. Our hopes now lie with the UEFA Cup. On Thursday, we are pitched up against FC Sevilla in the semi-finals of this competition. So we could at least make amends to a certain extent.
Together with my friend Lincoln, I was substituted in the 57th minute. As we sat on the bench, Lincoln let everything out of his system. He couldn’t understand why we couldn’t find our game, why everything was passing us by, why the joy and fun of playing was absent. He, just like all of us, has only one aim - to enchant the fans with good, top-class football and also, naturally, success. But we are quite unable to do that at the moment. Why not? If we knew that, we would alter things straight away.
On Easter Monday, for the first time as father of the family, I had the job of hiding the chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs from my son Karlo and partner Vicky. Vicky, arm in arm with Karlo, had to search for quite some time until they could find my well-thought out hiding place. The joy from Karlo was even greater when he discovered a little Easter bunny decked out in a Schalke shirt.
So, one day after our weak performance in the Bundesliga, I have at least one reason to celebrate at bit. We hope that things will start to go Schalke’s way as well. It would be great if that was evident on Thursday April 11 Catcalling hurts but urges me onDear Friends
There are those days when you would prefer not to talk about football. And such a day is today. But for you, dear msn-friends, I will make an exception and use the opportunity to thank you for your great responses and positive comments on my column.
Now to go straight to the heart of that matter which has left not only me feeling down in the dumps. In the Bundesliga, things are not running our way at all. On Sunday evening we only managed a 1:1 draw at bottom-of-the-table MSV Duisburg. Five minutes before the end my fellow striker, Sören Larsen, at least kept us from having to experience total humiliation
A 1:1 against Duisburg, before that a 2:0 defeat in Hamburg, 2:2 against Wolfsburg and a 3:0 defeat against Bayern Munich. That makes two points from four games. That surely cannot be the claim of Schalke 04! The gap to third place and Werder Bremen now amounts to six points and to SV Hamburg even worse at nine points. It has now become be an exceptionally hard task for us to try and at least reach the qualifying places for the Champions League.
It is naturally of interest to no-one that we now have 45 games under our belt. Demands are high and that is only right. That applies to me personally also - my demands and my achievements. I can understand those fans who whistle and give me the bird. I myself am definitely not satisfied, neither with our situation or with my performance. I can’t be said to have earned a bonus here so far, not like I did in Stuttgart. And I sense that the fans here have not yet accepted me in the same manner as at Stuttgart. The whistling upsets me but also goads me on.
At Schalke, we have critical, but extremely enthusiastic, fans who can magic up a sensational atmosphere in the arena. They esteem effort, application and dedication. I would like to earn their sympathy - through application and dedication. I will be exerting myself even more. Because anyone who is prepared to put in the effort here at Schalke, will indeed receive a lot back
In this mood, I wish you a fulfilling week April 07 A Photo of Karlo is Always with MeHotel, aircraft, team bus, dressing room – our working life definitely runs along different lines to other people. Much is already prescribed , so your personal space is limited to little things. You can recognize that every time we come out of the dressing room with our personal bag tucked under our arm. You can see this at every club worldwide and affects all players the world over. During a game, or while in training camp or on a bus journey, all our personal effects are reduced to just this small bag.
Today, just for your benefit, I’ll open mine up and reveal what is inside. The most precious thing in my bag is a small picture of my son, Karlo. Even if I have forgotten my hair gel or body spray, a glance at Karlo and any anger over my forgetfulness is soon forgotten.
What else does a footballer keep in his bag? Next to the aforementioned hair gel and body spray, I always carry my beard-care equipment. You never know whether a photo session with the team or for a sponsor will crop up at short notice. My bag gives me the convenience of keeping all the various things you need to carry around in a single place. My car keys, which I have not yet had to desperately search for in the dressing room, are always placed in a side pocket.
On the cold winter mornings, I even carry a stylish hat, which I furthermore always have at the ready in an outside pocket And a second pair of warm socks also has its set place. And you’ll also find the current Bundesliga fixtures. Matches involving Schalke 04 are highlighted, so I always know what we have to concentrate on.
Naturally, we also chat with each other about what the others have got with them. Ronaldinho let it slip to me at our meeting in Munich, that he permanently carries a picture of a German football stadium with him. It is a picture of the Berlin Olympic Stadium, the setting for the final of the World Cup 2006, in which we will hopefully find ourselves on 9th July
Have a good time April 04 My Son is a Fan of RonaldinhoDear Friends
To get straight to the point: internationally we have put up a great performance, but at a national level, we don’t seem to be able to win any more.
First the positive news. In the UEFA Cup we are standing almost with one foot in the semi-final. Our 3:1 success in the first leg of the quarter-final against Levski Sofia was not only convincing, but also well deserved. There is no question that if we continue to play in this fashion, we have a good chance of ending our international season there where it all began: in Eindhoven. It was there that we contested our first Champions League game against PSV and it is there on 10th May that the final of the EUFA Cup will also be taking place.
Unfortunately, there is also negative news to report from Gelsenkirchen. In the Bundesliga, we have been going through a purple patch. A 3:0 defeat at Bayern Munich, only a 2:2 draw at home against VfL Wolfsburg and then on Sunday evening, in the ‘decider’ for the Champions League places, an extremely bitter 2:0 home defeat against SV Hamburg.
And we did try so hard, especially against Hamburg. In the team hotel on the Saturday evening, we watched the Primera Division clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid. My mate Ronaldinho was able to at least salvage a point from the 1:1 draw at the Nou Camp.
With eleven points lead over Real with seven matches to go, can I allow myself, given this situation, to congratulate Barca and my friend Ronaldinho for already having won the championship. I am connected with Ronaldinho in other ways apart from this msn partnership. Even my small son Karlo is a great fan of him. And I have also bought Karlo a shirt of his. Now when Karlo plays ball with us in the living room, he does so alternatively in a Schalke shirt and then a Barcelona shirt
I wish you a successful week |
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